Jeff Tweedy, chief songwriter of Wilco, has embarked on a solo tour this summer in support of his yet to be titled solo album. Last Wednesday evening he performed at the Brown Theater in Louisville. The two hour set consisted of all new material with his own touring band (including his son Spenser on drums) for the first part and then an all acoustic collection of mostly Wilco tunes (and other tracks from various side projects).
In an era of fragmentation Tweedy has emerged as a leading voice in American rock music. For the past 20 years, Wilco has garnered a large following by constant touring and an ever evolving sound. Their music draws upon a multitude of influences ranging from British Invasion, Neil Young, The Grateful Dead, The Replacements, and Pavement to mention a few.
Before a nearly packed house, Tweedy opened with a somber collection of songs dwelling on mortality and love. Performing new material before a live audience always presents a challenge, but a fierce melancholy and passionate delivery carried them along nicely. His self deprecating humor and banter with the crowd added some levity. The new songs sounded amazing and carry the promise of a stellar LP.
The acoustic set opened with "Via Chicago," the central track on Wilco's 1999 venture into pop, Summerteeth. Then came "I am Trying to Break Your Heart" with the iconic opening lyrics, "i am an american aquarium drinker/i assassin down the avenue" from Wilco's breakthrough 2001 album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Included in the set were some deep tracks such as the whimsical "Pecan Pie" from the Golden Smog project and the irreverent "The Ruling Class" Tweedy recorded with Loose Fur. Two songs from the Uncle Tupelo days also appeared: "New Madrid" and "Give Back the Key to My Heart." For an encore, Tweedy gave a literally unplugged version of "Misunderstood" and invited the crowd to sing along as a show of respect and appreciation - thus ending the evening on an especially high note.
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